Carrot Seed Oil

Carrot seed oil is an essential oil distilled from carrot seeds. There is another variety of carrot oil which is obtained from cold pressing the seeds of carrot. This oil is quite different from the carrot seed essential oil. This oil has been used in skin care formulations and is a formidable anti-aging agent. Carrot seed oil blends well with some other essential oils, like citrus oils and is quite regularly used in aromatherapy.

Source

The source of carrot seed essential oil is the seed of carrot (Daucus carota ). There are two varieties of this carrot, one is the common carrot that we consume and the other is the wild carrot. This essential oil can be extracted from both of them. This oil can be extracted using various methods, like :

Carrot Seed Oil (Image:Shutterstock)

Steam distillation, without any solvent, also known as hydrodistillation.

Solvent extraction : Chemical solvents like sylvan and ethanol are used to extract more oil from the seeds. [1]

The essential oil extracted using solvent extraction is not organic and may have certain adverse health effects because of the presence of harmful chemicals.

Stimulant – It facilitates the smooth working of our bodily systems, like digestion, cardiac functions, release of toxins and waste products.

Emmenagogue – It reduces the discomfort of menstruation and facilitates it

Depurative – It aids the body in releasing out toxins and thus cleansing the channels.

Antioxidant – Carrot seed essential oil is a terrific antioxidant.

Anti-inflammatory – It promotes a reduction in inflammation on the skin, when used topically.

Anti-dermatitis – When used in combination with a base oil, it relieves dermatitis conditions like eczema and even psoriasis.

Analgesic – It is used in aromatherapy to reduce muscle pains.

Cytophylactic – It improves skin cell turnover rate to bring up new and healthier skin underneath. This helps to heal wounds and put some brakes on aging.

Anti-Aflatoxigenic – It kills aflatoxins, a kind of mold species that grow on crops like peanuts, other nuts etc. These are carcinogenic and must be removed.

Emollient – It moisturizes the skin.

Expectorant – aids in releasing phlegm.

Color, Taste and Aroma

Carrot seed essential oil has a unique yellow color with brown notes. The color may be slightly orange if it absorbs more carotenoids. It has a wonderful earthy aroma which is slightly sweet and slightly pungent. It also has some woody notes like that of cedar oil. It is generally not consumed internally, so taste is a matter of importance.

Blends Well With

Carrot seed oil is effectively carried by common case oils like grapeseed oil, olive oil, coconut oil and sweet almond oil. Regarding other essential oils, it blends well with lemon essential oil and other citrus oil, lavender oil and cedarwood oil. It also goes well with juniper oil as it slightly spicy. It works well with other essential oils that have a woody aroma, like helichrysum oil and all kind of wood oils.

Health Benefits

Carrot seed essential oil boasts many health benefits because of its comprehensive healing properties. It can be used in various ways to get rid of common health conditions, as well as to provide long term benefits.

Carrot seed oil for Hair

Carrot oil is used in cosmetic formulations to promote hair growth [3]. It can be used at home to make an easy hair growth serum. This is the recipe for it. Take about 10 ml water. To it, add about 10 ml of glycerin. Add 1 tablespoon organic castor oil. Finally, add 1 tablespoon hemp seed oil and about 8 – 10 drops of carrot seed essential oil. Th glycerin may be replaced only by coconut oil, as it penetrates into the hair shafts. Use this serum to massage on the hair after removing all chemicals. Rinse it out after 15 minutes.

Carrot seed oil can also be used in hot oil treatments. One can add 5 – 10 drops of carrot seed oil to about 10 ml of base oil, like olive oil or argan oil for a soothing hot oil massage. It also promotes hair growth. Carrot seed oil provides antioxidants to the hair and the scalp, preventing it from free radical damage caused by the sun and other external or internal agents.

Organic carrot oil is used in the formulation to get waves. The base oil for this process is usually olive oil.

Carrot seed oil for Skin

Carrot seed oil is an anti-aging agent for the skin. One should use it to diminish wrinkles and age spots. It can also take care of fine lines. To apply carrot seed essential oil, put 4 – 5 drops of essential oil in 5 ml of base oil. The choice of base oil depends on the function. For anti-aging effects, one can use an antioxidant rich base oil like olive oil or sesame oil. For moisturizing the skin, coconut oil is excellent. If you suffer from acne, then use jojoba oil as base oil as it is non comedogenic. Carrot seed oil is a nice treatment for scars and depressions, because it promotes the growth of new skin cells. One can therefore use it on acne scars, stretch marks and other kinds of marks formed by injuries, rashes and lesions.
It is also helpful in dealing with eczema and psoriasis. One can apply it on the lesions after mixing it with an appropriate base oil, like sea buckthorn oil.

Muscle Aches

Prepare a massage oil with sweet almond oil as base. Add few drops of arnica oil and carrot seed oil. This combination provides immense from sore, aching muscles. By the next morning, much of the soreness from the cramp or injury is gone.

Skin Infections

Carrot seed oil is really powerful at dealing with fungal skin infections. One should add about 4 – 5 drops of carrot essential oil in some base oil, like coconut oil and apply it on the skin where there is the fungal infection. It helps to get rid of athlete’s foot, jock itch, toenail fungus, scalp fungal infection and oral thrush. It kills the fungi species causing the infection and heal the skin. It also reduces the appearance of scars and pigmentation at the site of infection.

For liver care

Take castor oil as base. Add few drops of carrot seed essential oil. Apply this over the right upper side of abdomen and cover it with a cotton bandage. The beneficial nutrients seep into the skin, enter bloodstream and are delivered to the liver. This castor oil pack can be helpful in liver inflammation and jaundice.

Deal with cough and phlegm

There are many respiratory conditions in which there is production of phlegm. It can be common cold. cough, a respiratory infection like pneumonia or bronchitis, or flu. The phlegm needs to be expelled out of the body. But, it is not easy to do so as it attaches firmly to the mucus membrane of the nose and throat. One can loosen it up using natural expectorants, one of which is carrot essential oil. There is a simple way to use. Take a large pan of water and boil it. Add about 15 drops of carrot essential oil and 15 drops of eucalyptus essential oil. It helps to kill the infection causing pathogen and aid in removing phlegm from the lungs. This provides great relief from chest and nasal congestion.

Relief from Menstrual Cramps

Carrot seed oil forms a nice home remedy for menstrual cramps and general discomfort. One needs to prepare a sitz bath. Add one cup of epsom salt and 10 drops of carrot essential oil and 10 drops of lavender essential oil. This forms a very relaxing and soothing bath water to provide relief from menstrual cramps and promote comfortable menstruation. This works because of the emmenagogue properties of carrot oil.

Uses

Apart from its health benefits, carrot seed oil is also used for a few industrial purposes.

It is used to make perfumes and flavourings for food products.

Carrot seed oil is active against Aspergillus mold, which is an aflatoxin. It is sprayed on crops that are susceptible to infestation by this mold.

Side Effects, Safe Dosage and Toxicity Issues

Carrot seed oil is safe to use topically when used in combination with a base oil. Even then one should do a patch test before the treatment. It should be avoided by pregnant women and kids. People who suffer from asthma too should avoid this essential oil as it is quite a respiratory stimulant.

Interactions

Carrot seed oil extracted from wild carrots can interact with medications for blood pressure, photosensitivity and hormones therapy like estrogen.

Nutritional and Medicinal Information

Carrot seed essential oil has impressive nutrition facts. Like other essential oils, it does not contain much of essential fatty acids. It is rich in volatile organic compounds (VOCs). They are all present in small amounts and even in these small amounts, they exert a strong effect on the body. Carrot seed oil possibly contains significant amount of oil soluble vitamins, like Vitamin A ( in form of beta carotene ), Vitamin E and Vitamin K. The seed pulp is exceptionally rich in most common dietary minerals like zinc, iron, copper, magnesium, manganese ,

Complete nutritional value of carrot seed essential oil

Nutrient

Percentage

Carotol

66.78 %

Daucene

8.74 %

(Z,Z) – α-farnesene

5.8 %

Germacrene D

2.3 %

Trans α-bergamotene

2.4 %

β – Selinene

2.2 %

α -pinene

0.67 %

Myrcene

0.17 %

Limonene

0.47 %

Linalool

0.34 %

β – Caryophyllene

1.10 %

Source : 7

Besides these compounds, there are dozens of other micro-nutrients in very small amounts. Of all these nutrients, the prominent ones are :

Carotol – This is a sesquiterpene which possesses anti-fungal capability. It is also an insecticidal. [4]

Daucene – This is also a sesquiterpene.

β – Caryophyllene – It is strongly anti-inflammatory. [5]

Farnesene – Carrot oil contains a specific variety of farnesene which is a strong insect repellent.

Myrcene – It has got anti-inflammatory capabilities. [6]

Limonene – It relieves heartburn and stress.

Linalool – stress relieving agent.

Therefore, using carrot seed essential oil in aromatherapy using oil burner or vaporizer reduces stress. One can do it whenever there is a need to calm down some stress and relax. Unlike other essential oils, there is not details about the chemical properties of carrot seed essential oil. Carrots have an ORAC value ( antioxidant capacity ) of 210 Trolox equivalents. However, it is not known what is the antioxidant value of carrot seed essential oil. This value is important as it helps to gauge the antioxidant power of an ingredient and how powerfully it scavenges free radicals from the system.

Buying and Storage

Carrot seed essential oil is a fragile oil. It should be kept in a covered bottle, away from sunlight. If you mix it in a rancidity resistant base oil, then it can go on longer. The healthiest variety of this oil is the organic steam distilled carrot seed essential oil. One can buy this oil online or from an essential oil store.